Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Merry Christmas!


Tomorrow we will have our Christmas party! Thanks to all who are bringing items for the party and to Mrs. McSpaddon for organizing it. It is also pajama day, so wear your warm jammies to school.

We do have some business to take care of before the party, as we will be having a science test over Chapter 6. This chapter contains a lot of information, so please remember to study. You will not have an opportunity to correct your test if you need to due to the holidays. You also have a science review that is due that contains all the information you need to know for your test.



Good luck and have a wonderful holiday and a very Merry Christmas!!!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Yes, school is almost out! But before we check out for the holidays, we have a few things to take care of first. As far as homework is concerned, we have a math review from the book due as well as the science study guide for Chapter 6 and your protist drawing (which most of you have already turned in- YEAH!). So let's not forgot that! Remember, this Tuesday you do have a final math test for the semester. It will consist of the following:

1. calculating a percentage of an amount
2. adding fractions
3. subtracting fractions
4. multiplying fractions
5. dividing fractions
6. multiplying decimals
7. subtracting decimals
8. dividing decimals
9. finding percents (like what percent of 30 is 3?)
10. writing equivalent percents
11. writing equivalent decimals
12. comparing fractions (which is greater than/lesson than)
13. Roman numerals
14. comparing percents and fractions
15. comparing decimals
16. comparing measurements

As far as the 5th grade math test, be sure to study your conversions! It is full of them!!!
Also, you will need to know roman numerals, multiplication, addition, place value, averages, fractions, subtraction, and division. Good luck!!!

As for science, you will have a test on Thursday before early dismissal, so don't forget to study! I would suggest making flashcards of all the kingdoms and their characteristics. As promised, here are my science notes. Be sure to finish up your studyguide for Tuesday!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Sec. 1: Classifying Living Things

I. Classifying Organisms
A. Classification- process of grouping things based on their shared traits
B. Taxonomy- the scientific study of how living things are classified
1. Living things that are classified together have similar characteristics
2. after organisms are classified, scientists know a lot about its structures and relationships to other organisms
II. Linnaeus Classification System
A. Carolus Linnaeus developed system of groups based on observable features
B. Binomial nomenclature- Linnaeus’s system giving each organism a two-part name
1. genus- a classification grouping that contains similar, closely related organisms
2. species- a group of similar organisms that can mate and produce fertile offspring
C. Classification Today
1. Biologists classify an organism based on its structure & the way it develops or changes during its life.
2. Biologists examine the organism’s DNA
3. 7 Levels of Classification
a. kingdom
b. phylum
c. class
d. order
e. family
f. genus
g. species
4. Six Kingdoms
a. Archaebacteria
i. prokaryotes
ii. autotrophic or heterotrophic
iii. unicellular
b. eubacteria
i. unicellular
ii. prokaryotes
iii. autotrophic or heterotrophic
iv. chemical make-up different from archaebacteria
v. e.coli & strep
c. protists
i. unicellular & multicellular
ii. heterotrophs & autotrophs
iii. eukaryotes
d. fungi
i. yeasts & mushrooms
ii. most multicellular
iii. heterotrophs- most feed on dead or decaying organisms
e. plants
i. multi-cellular
ii. eukaryotes
iii. autotrophs
f. animals
i. multicellular
ii. eukaryotes
iii. heterotrophs

Sec. 2: Bacteria
I. Bacteria are prokaryotes- lack nucleus
II. Genetic material in their cells is not contained in a nucleus
III. Lack many organelles such as mitochondria
IV. Cell Shape- determined by chemical makeup of rigid cell wall
A. spherical
B. rodlike
C. spiral
V. Cell Structures and Functions
A. cell wall
B. cell membrane
C. ribosomes
D. cytoplasm
E. flagella
1. extends form the cell membrane and passes out through the cell wall
2. long, whip-like structure helps the bacterium move
VI. Energy Needs
A. use their food to supply the energy they need
B. most bacteria use oxygen to break down food for energy
VII. Reproduction
A. binary fission- a process in which one cell divides to form two identical cells
B. conjugation- sexual reproduction in which one cell transfers some of its genetic material into another cell through a thread-like bridge between the cells
VIII. Survival Needs
A. endospore
1. a small, thick walled, resting cell that forms inside a bacterial cell
2. contains the cell’s genetic material & some cytoplasm
B. endospores survive for many years as they resist freezing, heating, and drying

IX. Bacteria and the Living World
A. most bacteria interact with you and other organisms in harmless or positive ways
B. archaebacteria produced methane gas for natural gas
C. eubacteria grow in milk and produce buttermilk, yogurt & cheeses
D. some are decomposers in soil and break down large moleculesin dead organisms
E. some help clean up oil spills on land and water

Sec. 3: Protists & Fungi
I. Protist Kingdom
A. Junk Drawer kingdom
B. Eukaryotic
C. Live in moist surroundings
D. Categories
1. animal-like protists
2. plant-like protists
3. fungi-like protists
II. Animal-like protists
A. have structures that enable them to move around
B. heterotrophs
C. protozoans
D. unicellular
E. move in response to a variety of external stimuli such as food or light
F. Protozoans with pseudopods
1. pseudopods- temporary bulges of the cell membrane
2. cytoplasm flows into the bulge and the rest of the organism follows
3. ameba
G. Protozoan with cilia
1. cilia are hair-like projections from cells that move with a wavelike pattern
2. movement of cilia sweeps food into organism
3. Paramecium
H. Protozoans with Flagella
1. live inside the bodies of other organisms
2. use flagella to move
I. Other protozoans
1. sporozoans- characterized more by the way they live than the way they move
2. parasites- organisms that live on or in another organism
3. host- organism harmed by parasite
4. feed on the cells and body fluids of their hosts
5. some use flagella to move, others depend on hosts for transport
6. plasmodium- causes the disease malaria
III. Plant-like Protists
A. algae- plant-like protist
B. autotrophic
C. most of the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere is made by these algae
D. euglena
III. Fungus-like Protists
A. heterotrophs
B. cell walls
C. spore- a tiny cell that is able to grow into a new organism
D. use spores to reproduce
E. all mobile at some point in their lives
IV. The Fungi Kingdom
A. use spores to reproduce
B. mold on stale bread or fruit; mushrooms
C. Characteristics:
1. eukaryotes
2. use spores to reproduce
3. heterotrophs that feed in a similar way
4. need moist, warm places to grow
D. Cell structure of Fungi
1. unicellular or multicellular
2. hyphae- branching, thread-like tubes that make up the bodies of multicellular fungi
E. How Fungi find food
1. some feed on remains of dead organisms
2. some are parasites that break down the chemicals in living organisms (athlete’s foot)
3. absorb food through hyphae that grow into the food source
F. Reproduction in Fungi
1. asexual reproduction
a. occurs when there is adequate moisture and food
b. reproduce by growing spore-producing reproductive hyphae
c. budding- no spores are produced, a small yeast cell grows from the body of a
large-parent cell
sexual reproduction
2. sexual reproduction
a. occurs when growing conditions become unfavorable
b. the hyphae of two fungi grow together and a new spore producing structure
grows from the joined hyphae
c. spores develop into fungi that have the genetic material of both parents

Sec. 4: The Plant Kingdom
I. What is a Plant?
A. multicellular
B. eukaryotes
C. produce their food through photosynthesis
D. vascular tissue
1. an internal system of tube-like structures that carry water, minerals, and food
2. supports the bodies of plants, enabling them to grow large
E. non-vascular plants
1. only pass material from one cell to the next
2. lack the support and cannot grow wide or tall
3. mosses
F. Leaves
1. organs that carry out photosynthesis in vascular plants
2. vascular tissue carries the water needed for photosynthesis to the leaf
3. stomata- tiny pores that control the movement of gases into and out of the leaf
G. Roots and Stems
1. roots are organs that anchor plants in the ground and absorb water and nutrients form
soil
2. stems carry substances back and forth between the roots and leaves
II. Reproduction
A. Two stages
1. 1st stage plant produces spores, the tiny cells that can grow into new organisms
2. 2nd stage plant spores undergo sexual reproduction that involves fertilization
a. fertilization- occurs when a sperm cell unites with an egg cell
b. zygote- a fertilized egg
c. embryo- a young organism that develops from a zygote
B. Seeds
1. definition- a structure that contains a young plant inside a protective covering
2. parts
a. embryo- beginnings of roots, stems, & leaves
b. stored food- used until it can make its own food
c. seed coat
3. cotyledons- one or two seed leaves where food is stored
4. Dispersion
a. wind
b. animals eat seeds & deposit them in waste
c. may stick to animal’s fur
C. Cones
1. Cones are reproductive structures of gymnosperms
2. Cone types
a. male cones produce tiny grains of pollen (sperm cells)
b. female cones produce ovules (structure containing egg cells)
3. Pollen fertilizes ovule and zygote develops into embryo part of seed
D. Flowers
1. Flowers are the reproductive organs of angiosperm seed plants
2. Reproductive organs
a. Stamen- male reproductive part that produces pollen
b. Pistil- female reproductive part with a hollow organ called an ovary (contains
ovules that contain egg cells)
3. Pollination
a. flower is pollinated when a grain of pollen falls on the top of a pistil,
or stigma
b. pollen adheres to sticky stigma
c. Sperm fertilizes the egg cell in ovule
d. zygote develops into embryo part of the seed
e. as the seed develops, the ovary changes into a fruit
f. fruit is a ripened ovary and other structures that enclose one or more seeds
III. Plant Responses and Growth
A. Plants grow either toward or away from a stimulus
B. Tropisms- a plant’s growth response toward or away from a stimulus
1. positive tropism- plant grows toward stimulus
2. negative tropism- plant grows away from stimulus
3. Important external stimuli
a. touch
b. light
c. gravity
C. Hormones
1. def.- a chemical produced inside an organism that affects the organism’s body
processes, such as growth and development
2. act as internal stimuli that cause an organism’s cells, tissues, and organs to respond
3. control the formation of flowers, stems, and leaves, the shedding of leaves, and
development and ripening of fruit
D. Life Spans of Flowering Plants
1. annuals- flowering plants that live for only one year
2. biennials- flowering plants that live for two years
3. perennials- flowering plants that live more than two years

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Math & more!

Tomorrow's homework includes creating a pictograph and assessing the range, mean, and median of your information. Please use a ruler and be neat!!! Be sure to include a title and labels.


In science, we started our new study of classification & taxonomy. Don't forget to finish up Section 1 review questions if you haven't finished them yet. I have also passed out the studyguide, so be sure to keep up! We have completed section 1 and Thursday we will cover section 2 about bacteria.


Please be sure to return progress reports tomorrow and to study for your math test on Tuesday!

Have a great week!

Monday, December 1, 2008

This weeks happenings!


Hope everyone had a great Turkey Day! This week we are completing our study of percentages and starting our graph unit. On Tuesday we will study probability and pictographs. On Thursday we will look at bar graphs. There was no math homework over the holidays.

As far as science goes, if you have not taken your science test yet due to an abscence, you will need to make that up tomorrow. We will also be starting Chapter 6 about classification, and the 6 kingdoms of protista, plants, eubacteria, archebacteria, fungi, and animals. We will complete sections 1 & 2 this week. Be sure to keep up with your study guide as well. Science tests from Chapter 5 have been graded and will be returned tomorrow.

We have finished 3 weeks of this six weeks, so it is time again for progress reports. I will send these home tomorrow. Please sign and return them by Thursday.

Have a great week!